Baby bouncer with a width variable frame

ABSTRACT

A baby bouncer with a width variable frame is configured to have an erected configuration for use as a regular baby bouncer, and a folded configuration for reducing the width of the baby bouncer when being not in use. The frame of the baby bouncer includes at least a base frame, a pair of bouncing support rods and a baby carrier frame. The base frame and the bouncing support rods are associated by two gear elements. By meshing the first gear element and the second gear element, the bouncing support rods and the bouncing support rods are capable of simultaneously rotating in an opposite direction either in erecting or folding of the baby bouncer. When need to fold the frame of baby bouncer into the folded configuration, care-giver may unlock two lockable joints of the baby carrier frame and fold to associating the bouncing support rods and the base frame.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates a baby bouncer; especially to a babybouncer can reduce the width in a folded configuration.

2. Description of the Related Art

Baby bouncers are popular products for care-giver and their infants.Basically a baby bouncer is a device that holds an infant and providesthem with gentle motion in a manner that can stimulate an infant whenthey are active, soothe them when they are not, enable an infant toexercise, all while enhancing free time for parents.

Traditional baby bouncers can be divided into two types, namely therocking type which may rock back-and-forth on the floor, and the springrod type which may bounce high and low. Both the types cannot be foldedinto a compact size for easy stow or transportation.

A third type of baby bouncers are newly available in the market whichincludes a base frame and a pair of support rods connected by twolockable joints. The support rods can be locked in an erected positionby the lockable joints to support a baby carrier on its upper end. Thebaby carrier can be a seat or small baby bed capable of bouncing highand low on top of the support rods, and can be released and lay down onthe floor by unlocking the lockable joints. Since the support rods andthe baby carrier both are laid down on the floor, the care-giver has tobow down to pick them up when need to reuse or moving the baby bouncers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

For eliminating the troublesome of bowing down and picking up beforemoving or reuse of the folded baby bouncer, the present inventionprovides a baby bouncer with a width variable frame, which is configuredto have an erected configuration for use as a regular baby bouncer, anda folded configuration for reducing the width of the baby bouncer whenbeing not in use.

The frame of the baby bouncer includes at least a base frame, a pair ofbouncing support rods and a baby carrier frame. The base frame and thebouncing support rods are associated by two gear elements.

By meshing the first gear element and the second gear element, thebouncing support rods and the bouncing support rods are capable ofsimultaneously rotating in an opposite direction either in erecting orfolding of the baby bouncer.

When need to fold the frame of baby bouncer into the foldedconfiguration, the care-giver may unlock two lockable joints of the babycarrier frame and fold to associating the bouncing support rods and thebase frame.

As the pair of bouncing support rods and a baby carrier frame accordingto the present invention shall not lay down on the floor or ground inthe folded configuration, the care-giver can move and operate to reusebaby bouncer without bowing down their body and knees.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention are incorporated in and constitute a partof this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention andtogether with the description serve to explain the principles of theinvention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the baby bouncer with a width variableframe according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the frame of the baby bouncer of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view of a pivot mount of the frame of thebaby bouncer of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the foldingoperation of the baby bouncer of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing the frame of the babybouncer can be folded into a folded configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, a baby bouncer with a width variable frame 10according to the present invention is configured to have an erectedconfiguration 100 for use as a regular baby bouncer, and a foldedconfiguration 200 for reducing the width of the baby bouncer when beingnot in use.

The frame 10 according to the present invention includes at least a baseframe 1, a pair of bouncing support rods 2 and a baby carrier frame 3.The base frame 1 is composed of a left base frame 11 and a right baseframe 12 both are rotatably connected with each other by a pivot mount13.

The bouncing support rods 2 are swivelably pivoted on the pivot mount 13and capable of simultaneously rotating in opposite direction with eachother, and can be positioned in a wider position 23 and a closedposition 24. Referring to FIGS. 2-3, the bouncing support rods 2 may beconnected to a first gear element 21 and a second gear element 22respectively. Due to the first gear element 21 and the second gearelement 22 are meshed with each other, the bouncing support rods 2 arecapable of simultaneously rotating in opposite direction with eachother.

As best shown in FIG. 3, the first gear element 21 and the second gearelement 22 may be pivoted in the pivot mount 13. Further, the first gearelement 21 may be connected with the left base frame 11, and the secondgear element 22 is connected with the right base frame 12, so as to keepthe left base frame 11 and the right base frame 12 to simultaneouslyrotate in opposite direction with each other.

The pair of bouncing support rods 2 each may be formed with either asolid metal rod or metal tube. For enhancing the effect of bouncing, twoelastic elements 25 may be mounted in the pivot mount 13 for cushioningthe bouncing support rods 2 in regular bouncing movements.

The baby carrier frame 3 is composed of a left curved frame 31 and aright curved frame 32 pivoted by two lockable joints 34. The left curvedframe 31 and the right curved frame 32 each has mounted with theconnector 33 for pivotably connecting with the pair of bouncing supportrods 2.

By meshing the first gear element 21 with the second gear element 22,the left base frame 11 and a right base frame 12 may be associated withthe pair of bouncing support rods 2, and can be rotated to an openedconfiguration 15 and a closed configuration 16.

The left curved frame 31 and the right curved frame 32 have an openedposition 30 for stretching a cloth (not shown) therebetween for supportbaby occupant, and a folded position 40 for reducing the width of thebaby bouncer when the baby bouncer being not in use.

FIGS. 4-5 illustrate the folding operation of the baby bouncer of thepresent. In the erected configuration 100, the left curved frame 31 andthe right curved frame 32 are locked in the opened position 30 by thelockable joints 34. Due to the two connectors 33 are pivoted with thepair of bouncing support rods 2, the two connectors 33 are then kept inthe wider position 23. When need to fold the frame 10 to the foldedconfiguration 200, the care-giver may unlock the lockable joints 34 androtate to close the left curved frame 31 and the right curved frame 32to each other, the two connectors 33 would then carry the pair ofbouncing support rods 2 to the closed position 24 as best shown in FIG.5.

For reducing the width of the frame 10 in the folded configuration 200,the left base frame 11 and a right base frame 12 are preferably to beoverlapped with each other in the closed configuration 16. For instance,the pivot mount 13 may be formed with two guiding slots 29 for guidingthe move of the left base frame 11 and the right base frame 12, so as toguide the left base frame 11 and the right base frame 12 to be opened ina horizontal plan and folded in a overlapped configuration, as bestshown in FIG. 5.

Further, for preventing the baby bouncer from sliding on the groundduring the baby bouncer in use, the left base frame 11 and a right baseframe 12 each may further be mounted with least an anti-slide element14, such as rubber, silicon pad or the likes for providing friction toagainst the sliding on ground.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been described, thoseskilled in the art will recognize that many modifications are possiblethat will achieve the same goals by substantially the same system,device or method, and where those systems, devices or methods still fallwithin the true spirit and scope of the invention disclosed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A baby bouncer with a width variable frame (10)having an erected configuration (100) for use as a regular baby bouncer,and a folded configuration (200) for reducing its width when being notin use, the frame (10) including: a base frame (1), composed of a leftbase frame (11) and a right base frame (12) both rotatably connectedwith each other by a pivot mount (13); a pair of bouncing support rods(2), both swivelably pivoted on the pivot mount (13) and capable ofsimultaneously rotating in opposite direction with each other therebypositioning in a wider position (23) and a closed position (24); and ababy carrier frame (3), composed of a left curved frame (31) and a rightcurved frame (32) pivoted by two lockable joints (34); wherein the leftcurved frame (31) and the right curved frame (32) each has mounted witha connector (33) for pivotably connecting with the pair of bouncingsupport rods (2); and wherein the left curved frame (31) and the rightcurved frame (32) have an opened position (30) for stretching a cloththerebetween for support baby occupant and a folded position (40) forreducing the width of the baby bouncer when the baby bouncer being notin use.
 2. The baby bouncer with a width variable frame according toclaim 1, further included a pair of elastic elements (25) mounted in thepivot mount (13) for cushioning the bouncing support rods (2) inbouncing movements.
 3. The baby bouncer with a width variable frameaccording to claim 1, wherein the pivot mount (13) is formed with twoguiding slots (29) for guiding the left base frame (11) and the rightbase frame (12), so as to guide the left base frame (11) and the rightbase frame (12) to be opened in a horizontal plan and folded in aoverlapped configuration.
 4. The baby bouncer with a width variableframe according to claim 1, wherein the left curved frame (31) and theright curved frame (32) are capable of keeping the pair of bouncingsupport rods (2) in the wider position (23) when being locked by the twolockable joints (34) in the opened position (30), and capable of drivingthe pair of bouncing support rods (2) via the two connectors (33) to theclosed position (24) when care-giver has unlocked the two lockablejoints (34) and rotate the left curved frame (31) and the right curvedframe (32) to the folded position (40).
 5. The baby bouncer with a widthvariable frame according to claim 1, wherein the left base frame (11)and a right base frame (12) are associated with the pair of bouncingsupport rods (2), and having an opened configuration (15) and a closedconfiguration (16).
 6. The baby bouncer with a width variable frameaccording to claim 1, wherein the left base frame (11) and a right baseframe (12) are overlapped with each other in the closed configuration(16).
 7. The baby bouncer with a width variable frame according to claim1, wherein the left base frame (11) and a right base frame (12) eachbeing connected at least an anti-slide element (14) for preventing thebaby bouncer from sliding on the ground during in use.
 8. The babybouncer with a width variable frame according to claim 1, wherein thepair of bouncing support rods (2) each is formed with a solid metal rod.9. The baby bouncer with a width variable frame according to claim 1,wherein the pair of bouncing support rods (2) each is formed with ametal tube.
 10. The baby bouncer with a width variable frame accordingto claim 1, further included first gear element (21) and a second gearelement (22) meshed with each other; wherein the bouncing support rods(2) are connected to the first gear element (21) and a second gearelement (22) for capable of simultaneously rotating in oppositedirection with each other.
 11. The baby bouncer with a width variableframe according to claim 10, wherein the first gear element (21) isconnected with the left base frame (11), and the second gear element(22) is connected with the right base frame (12), so as to keep the leftbase frame (11) and the right base frame (12) capable of simultaneouslyrotating in opposite direction with each other.
 12. The baby bouncerwith a width variable frame according to claim 10, wherein the firstgear element (21) and the second gear element (22) are pivoted in thepivot mount (13).